Californication

‘I didn’t lose my mind, it was mine to give away’ Robbie Williams – No regrets

Has it really been so long since I was last here? Oops.. I’m guessing you’ll all have written loads of entries that I won’t finish reading before I have to get dressed for tonight. Tonight is Duncan’s work Xmas night out, and like a fool he put us both down to go. I am expected to go out in the freezing cold to Cramlington and have paid £25 for a dinner which includes, as a starter, fruit juice. Who actually thinks fruit juice is a starter these days?! You can probably tell that after being at work all day and waiting 45 minutes in the cold for my bus home, I’m not in a mood conducive to going out again to spend an evening with people I don’t know.

We went away last weekend to my parents. It was nice to get away, not have to work for a couple of days and relax. We took their presents up and got some back in return. On Thursday night we saw Ellie in her school ‘nativity’ play. I astonishes me the stories that some schools come up with to make it different each year. Ellie was a ‘Swiss’ person (the littlest angel in heaven was looking for somewhere for Jesus to be born) and she had to sing some songs. The kids all looked dead cute and were constantly waving to parents (except Ellie, who despite having 7 people waving at her like weirdos, was the height of professionalism!!)

This last week has been a long one though. I was off sick on Monday and Tuesday and went back to work on Wednesday to discover we were having our Christmas lunch that day at some Italian restaurant (lucky I took money). Then on thursday night we had our team night out (work people only, no partners) at another Italian. Tomorrow night we are having dinner with friends, at yet another Italian. I shall be quite sick of pizza and pasta by Monday I feel! Work has been very quiet. I worked today and spent about 5 of the seven hours there doing maths work, so the studying is coming along nicely – of course it helps when you get onto a subject that you can actually do (trigonometry), now all I have to do is find somewhere to take the exams in June – harder than it sounds. Seems no-one takes private candidates anymore… I’ve got until January 25th to sort something out though.

Have already begun planning next year’s holiday – the highlands of Scotland. Hardly the glamour of Cape Town, but we are broke, plus REM are playing at T in the Park in July, so obviously I have to go! Plus for the first time ever, I won a prize in a raffle – and not just any prize, but first prize!! So we are hoping to have a weekend away on the Isle of Aran (accomodation and ferry paid for) for our anniversary in February. Not too bad, eh?

But for now we are gearing up for Christmas. Presents are all bought and wrapped, and I am looking forward to the 2 days off from work. All we have to do now is go and buy all our food on Monday – which should be hellish. Haven’t decided what to do for New Year yet. I have to work until 6pm, but even so, I don’t want to go out anywhere – to me New Years is nothing special and I can’t see what all the fuss is about. We’ll probably have a nice meal and stay in. Does that make me sound all boring? Or am I just sick of being squashed into a bar where I’m charged over the odds for a bottle of something warm? As for resolutions? Spending more time here would probably be a good one!!

I wish you all a fantastic, safe Christmas/Yule and all the best wishes for 2003!

Until there is a next time…

xx